Bernd Gangnus

[29] In vitro modeling of biofouling of dental composite materials

Publisher Summary Dental plaque may become calcified, forming hard deposits called calculus on tooth surfaces. When calculus forms on dental composite materials, it can cause staining that may ultimately result in the need to remove and replace the material. This chapter develops an in vitro model system to include relevant, removable, and replaceable surfaces on which biofilms may develop. The model is subsequently modified further to a two-stage system, in which biofilms are developed in an aerated second-stage vessel. The objective of the chapter is to evaluate the utility of this model system to compare the degree of oral microbial biofilm development on six commercial, light-curing dental composite materials supplied “blind” by ESPE Dental AG. The chapter assesses biofilm formation by several criteria, including qualitative and quantitative viable counts of biofilm bacteria, percentage coverage analysis, and an assessment of the strength of microbial adhesion. The results obtained in the in vitro model system are compared in a preliminary evaluation carried out in vivo at ESPE.